Natural Killer Cells (NK Cells) and Vaccine Efficacy

Dear Colleagues, 

Using experimental models, NK cell immune responses have various type of immune responses in every type of vaccination protocols. In contrast myeloid response, blood NK cell dynamics were driven mainly by decreases in absolute numbers and a high interindividual variability. It was shown a transient decrease of NK cell numbers in the blood of immunized macaques. On the other hand some NK subphenotypes increased in numbers after the first and second immunization. It was reported that changes of NK cell subphenotypes composition from a more mature and cytotoxic phenotype were increased after the priming phase of vaccination.

There are many terminologies used to describe NK cell subsets such as memory-like cells including Ag-specific NK cells.

A huge lack of knowledge was described of different phenotypes in many NK cells such as Ly49H and KLRG1 or NKG2C and 57 in humans. Memory-like NK cells could persist after 2 month after immunization. A deeper analysis of memory-like NK cells and their cytokines milieu and if they are activated by cytokines or antigens is needed to be tested with functional assays and transcriptional profiles displayed during the various phases of immunization.

In this issue we focus our attention on the mechanisms necessary to expand in vivo the memory-like NK cells that represent a bridge from innate and adaptive immunity needed to good vaccination protocols that represent a challenge for the scientific community.

I look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. Guido Sireci
Guest Editor

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• lymphocytes
• innate
• memory
• priming
• challenge
• vaccine efficacy